Glove apparatus and method
A glove apparatus having a front shell for fielding a ball and a back shell joined to the front shell. The front and back shells cooperate to define a finger region, a heel region, and a thumb region. The ball glove provides more comfort and control than previous gloves. The ball glove may also be lighter weight than conventional gloves of comparable size. A traction panel may be formed in the back shell adjacent an index finger hole.
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The present invention relates to sports equipment, and, more particularly, to a glove apparatus used by a ball player to assist fielding balls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONGloves for baseball and softball (collectively referred to for simplicity as “baseball gloves”) are nearly as old as the game of baseball itself. Nevertheless, many improvements have been made to baseball gloves over the years as the game has become faster and more difficult to play due to technological advances in the construction of both baseballs and baseball bats. In addition, the increase in fitness, size, and strength of today's players also makes fielding a baseball more challenging. Therefore, baseball glove technology continues to advance to keep pace with other baseball improvements.
Some of the obvious changes that have occurred over the years in the design of baseball gloves include the differences between gloves used by catchers, first basemen, and gloves worn by the rest of the players. As understood by those skilled in the art, a catcher's glove is much different in shape and purpose than gloves used for any other positions on the field. As the game has further developed, there are specialty gloves for a number of different positions: catcher, first baseman, infield, pitcher, and outfield. However, most baseball gloves (except possibly a catcher's glove) could be used today by the weekend warrior at any position.
One of the developments over the years has been the design of many fielding gloves with an external hole for a player's index finger. Over the years, players discovered that impact force on the hand can be reduced by placing the index finger outside of the glove, rather than in a finger stall. In addition, placing the index finger behind the glove offers some players better control of their gloves. Accordingly, many of today's baseball gloves are specifically designed with a hole in the back to accommodate a player's index finger. However, at a top of the hole designed to accommodate a player's index finger is a binding. The inside knuckle or base of a player's index finger normally lies across the binding, which can be quite uncomfortable. Further, the back of most baseball gloves is usually smooth leather, and does not provide much traction or grip to the index finger. A player's index finger may slip and slide across the back of the typical baseball glove and reduce or eliminate the extra control the player is seeking.
In addition, a constant for ball gloves has always been the thumb loop. All conventional baseball gloves have a thumb loop. Some thumb loops are adjustable and generally the thumb loop is used to place the thumb in the glove in a general orientation instead of just floating around inside of the glove. Yet conventional gloves do not have an independent channel for a thumb. Thumb loops add weight to the glove, and some players find themselves fighting the confines of the loop as they use the glove. Thumb loops are uncomfortable for many players.
Moreover, as mentioned above, today's baseball and softball games are characterized by fast play and high ball speeds. Conventional ball gloves, however, are sometimes heavy. The heavier the glove, the more difficult and time consuming it is to maneuver the glove into the desired fielding position. Some users often have difficulty handling conventional gloves because of their weights. There is a constant demand for lighter and lighter gloves.
The present invention is directed to solving, or at least reducing the effect of, one or more of the problems recited above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one of many possible embodiments, the present invention provides a glove apparatus for use in connection with a ball game, such as baseball or softball. The glove apparatus comprises a front shell for fielding a ball and a back shell substantially joined to the front shell. The front and back shells cooperate to define a finger region, a heel region, and a thumb region. The thumb region includes an independent channel receptive of a thumb, but does not include a thumb loop as do conventional gloves. The glove apparatus according to some embodiments may include a channel in the back shell through which an index finger extends. However, at least a portion of the channel is closed by a pad that includes a plurality of external ridges to provide added comfort and control to a user.
According to some embodiments, the material comprising the back shell of the glove apparatus includes a plurality of vent holes. The plurality of vent or pinholes may be arranged in a pattern or they may be random. The back shell may include 50 or more such holes. The back shell may be made of an aramid-type fiber. According to some embodiments, the back shell comprises an open slot and an exterior patch receptive of a finger such as an index finger, the exterior patch having a plurality of protrusions.
Another aspect of the invention provides a glove apparatus comprising a front panel and a back panel joined to the front panel. Unlike conventional gloves, the back panel comprises a plurality of small apertures or holes that allow the glove to breathe and to reduce the weight of the glove. The plurality of holes may comprise 100 or more holes, and contain no threading. The holes may be pin holes no larger than 0.1 inches in diameter, and they may form a pattern extending substantially across the entire back panel. In addition, the glove may include a hole through which an index finger may be extended to the outside of the glove, and a pad comprising a plurality of external ridges adjacent to the hole for the index finger to bear against. The glove may include an independent thumb stall and no thumb loop, and according to some embodiments, the back panel comprises Kevlar®.
Another aspect of the invention provides a glove apparatus comprising a first panel and a second panel attached to the first panel. The first and second panels define a hand cavity. The second panel includes an index finger hole and an index finger pad adjacent to the index finger hole. The index finger pad includes a plurality of ridges. The index finger hole may comprise a channel partially closed by the index finger pad. The index finger pad may comprise leather and the plurality of ridges may include uniform, spaced bumps. According to some embodiments there are 2-20 bumps, preferably about 9 bumps. The plurality of ridges may all be external.
Another aspect of the invention provides a glove apparatus including a first panel and a second panel joined to the first panel, such that the first and second panels define a pocket. At least a portion of the second panel may comprise an aramid-type material such as Kevlar®. At least part of a webbing may also comprise an aramid or other type of man-made material. This embodiment may also include a plurality of finger stalls, and an independent thumb stall without a thumb loop. The ball glove may include a plurality of vent holes disposed therein. The glove may also include a hole for an index finger to extend outside of the glove and an associated pad comprising a plurality of external ridges adjacent to the hole.
Another aspect of the invention provides a glove apparatus including a front leather panel and a back aramid panel. The front leather panel and back aramid panel are joined together to form a hand cavity, but the hand cavity includes no thumb loop. The back aramid panel may include a Kevlar® portion and a leather portion, a hole for an index finger, and a pad having a plurality of external ridges adjacent to the hole.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of making a glove apparatus. The method may include providing a front shell, providing a back shell, joining the front shell to the back shell, disposing a hole in the back shell for an index finger, and adding an index finger pad comprising a plurality of external ridges. The method may also include cutting a plurality of pin holes in the back shell, and not adding a thumb loop.
Another aspect of the invention provides a ball catching apparatus comprising a glove, the glove having a hand receiving cavity, an index finger hole, and an index finger patch comprising a plurality of external peaks.
Another aspect of the invention provides a glove apparatus comprising a first panel, a second panel attached to the first panel, the first and second panels defining a hand cavity, an index finger hole through the second panel, and a binding extending only partially around the index finger hole. The index finger hole may comprise a channel, such that the binding traverses up and around the channel, but does not extend thereacross.
The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe present specification describes a glove apparatus and methods of making a glove apparatus that may be lighter and more comfortable than conventional ball gloves. Several or all of the new features of the ball gloves described below may be combined into a single ball glove. However, some ball gloves according to the present invention may include only one of the new features described herein. Although the gloves and methods of making the gloves are shown and described with reference to certain embodiments, the features and principles of the present invention may be applied to any ball glove.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “open hole” means a hole that has nothing in it. For example an “open hole” does not have any lacing or threading extending therethrough. The words “including” and “having,” as used in the specification, including the claims, have the same meaning as the word “comprising.”
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
The front and back panels 102, 104 are sized and shaped to cooperate and define a pocket or cavity receptive of a human hand. The pocket or cavity is divided generally into a finger or finger stall region 108 (
Extending between the thumb portion 112 (
According to conventional designs, back panels of ball gloves comprise a substantially solid piece of material, with several eyelets to facilitate lacing the back panel to a front panel. However, as discussed above, conventional ball gloves can be relatively heavy and they generally do not breathe. Therefore, according to the embodiment of
According to the embodiment of
Although the embodiment of
According to the embodiment of
According to principles of the present invention, the glove 200 of
As shown in
Although the back panel 204 as shown in
According to some embodiments of the present invention, the back panel 204 may comprise materials other than leather. For example, according the embodiment of
As mentioned above, all conventional baseball gloves include a thumb loop 350 such as the one shown in a prior art baseball glove 300 illustrated in
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A ball glove apparatus, comprising:
- a front shell for fielding a ball therein;
- a back shell substantially joined to the front shell, the front and back shells cooperating to define a finger region, a heel region, and a thumb region a webbing positioned between the thumb region and the finger region;
- wherein the thumb region comprises an interior thumb stall wall defining an independent channel receptive of a thumb and does not include a thumb loop;
- wherein the independent thumb channel fits snugly around a user's thumb.
2. A glove apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a channel in the back shell for an index finger to extend through, wherein at least a portion of the channel is closed by a pad comprising a plurality of external ridges.
3. A glove apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the back shell comprises a plurality of vent holes spaced thereacross.
4. A glove apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the back shell comprises a plurality of pinholes arranged in a pattern.
5. A glove apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the back shell comprises at least 50 holes disposed therein.
6. A glove apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the back shell comprises an aramid fiber.
7. A glove apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a webbing comprising an aramid fiber.
8. A glove apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the back shell comprises an open slot and an exterior patch, the exterior patch comprising a plurality of protrusions.
9. A method of making a ball glove apparatus, comprising:
- providing a front shell;
- providing a back shell;
- joining the front shell to the back shell;
- disposing a hole in the back shell for an index finger providing a webbing positioned between a thumb region and the index finger;
- an index finger channel defined by a binding that traverses up and around the index finger channel, but does not extend across the channel;
- adding an index finger pad comprising a plurality of external ridges, the index finger pad at least partially closing the index finger channel.
10. A method of making a glove apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising cutting a plurality of pin holes in the back shell.
11. A method of making a glove apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising punching a plurality of vent holes in the back shell.
12. A method of making a glove apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising disposing a pattern of holes in the back shell.
13. A method of making a glove apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising not adding a thumb loop.
14. A ball glove apparatus, comprising:
- a first panel;
- a second panel attached to the first panel, the first and second panels defining a hand cavity;
- an index finger hole through the second panel a webbing positioned between a thumb region and the index finger;
- an index finger channel formed adjacent the index finger hole;
- a binding extending around the index finger channel, but not extending across the channel.
15. A glove apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the index finger channel is at least partially closed by a separate index finger pad extending thereacross.
16. A ball glove apparatus, comprising:
- a first panel;
- a second panel joined to the first panel, the first and second panels defining a plurality of finger stalls;
- an interior thumb stall wall defining an independent thumb stall a webbing positioned between the thumb stall and the finger stall;
- wherein the independent thumb stall is dimensioned to fit snugly around a user's thumb.
17. A glove apparatus of claim 16, wherein the thumb stall does not include a thumb loop.
18. A glove apparatus of claim 17, wherein the thumb stall is dimensioned to fit snugly around the thumb from a base of the thumb to a tip of the thumb.
19. A glove apparatus of claim 16, wherein the thumb stall is dimensioned to substantially prevent longitudinal movement of the thumb within the thumb stall.
20. A glove apparatus of claim 16, wherein the thumb stall is dimensioned to prevent the thumb from touching other parts of a hand while the thumb is within the thumb stall.
21. A glove apparatus of claim 16, wherein an opening of the thumb stall is substantially elliptical in shape.
22. A ball glove apparatus comprising:
- a first panel;
- a second panel attached to the first panel, the first and second panels defining a hand cavity;
- an index finger hole through the second panel;
- an index finger pad a webbing positioned between the index finger and a thumb stall;
- the index finger hole comprising a channel partially closed by the index finger pad;
- a binding defining the channel, wherein the binding does not extend across the channel.
23. A ball glove apparatus comprising:
- a first panel;
- a second panel attached to the first panel, the first and second panels defining a hand cavity;
- an index finger hole formed in the second panel, the index finger hole comprising an index finger channel arranged adjacent the index finger hole, the index finger channel being defined by a binding that traverses up and around the index finger channel, but does not extend across the channel;
- the index finger channel further comprising an the index finger pad, which partially closes the index finger channel portion of the index finger hole a webbing positioned between the index finger and a thumb stall;
- a plurality of ridges formed on the index finger pad, the ridges extending transversely across the index finger channel, the ridges providing comfort to the user's index finger during use and providing increased control of the glove during use.
24. A glove apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of ridges are uniformly spaced relative to each other.
25. A glove apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the index finger pad comprises a piece of synthetic material.
26. A glove apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of ridges comprises 5-15 bumps.
27. A glove apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of ridges are all external.
28. A glove apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:
- an independent thumb stall;
- no thumb loop.
29. A glove apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the second panel comprises an aramid-type material.
30. A glove apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a plurality of open holes in the second panel.
31. A glove apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a pattern of holes extending substantially across the entire second panel.
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Type: Grant
Filed: May 6, 2004
Date of Patent: Oct 9, 2007
Patent Publication Number: 20050268366
Assignee: Jas. D. Easton, Inc. (Van Nuys, CA)
Inventor: James Trevor Anderson (Berkeley, CA)
Primary Examiner: Gary L. Welch
Assistant Examiner: Alissa J Tompkins
Attorney: Holland & Hart
Application Number: 10/840,310
International Classification: A41D 13/08 (20060101);